2014 86CUP #1 - Streets of Willow Springs - Jan 18, 2014

[retrosmiths]

Had tons of fun! Thanks for organizing this!

[ImperiousRex]

Thanks again for coming out to the event everyone! Here are the results from yesterday if you'd like to take another look at your laptimes and how they stacked up with everyone!

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by schmearcampain

Only bummer of the day was leaving with the transponder and having to turn around 40 miles later to return it.

Could be worse... you could've done what Mike did in the morning.

-alex

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by MyRx

Didn't seem like a time-competition since I ran in the blue group until we got called to the clubhouse, then I said "shoot, I just came to learn the track...I coulda taken it more seriously haha".

The best advice I was given years ago, was that track days are the best (and the fastest) when you're out having fun without trying to push yourself.

That's when you drive the smoothest and can fine-tune your lines, your entry, exit, and work on improving small things.

We all were "learning" the track; I've run Streets CW about 20 times total, but have never run it CCW until Saturday. A lot of us were rookies, gotta start somewhere!

-alex

[MyRx]

Originally Posted by mav1178

The best advice I was given years ago, was that track days are the best (and the fastest) when you're out having fun without trying to push yourself.

That's when you drive the smoothest and can fine-tune your lines, your entry, exit, and work on improving small things.

We all were "learning" the track; I've run Streets CW about 20 times total, but have never run it CCW until Saturday. A lot of us were rookies, gotta start somewhere!

-alex

Oh definitely fun regardless. Great company, great hosts, and even our surrounding (non86) cars were welcoming. Haha strange how even some of the familiar-to-SOW drivers around us never ran it CCW. Nonetheless, it still would have been a learning experience if it ran CW. It always is.

[JS + BRZ]

I'm just so glad that I didn't spin out.

By the way, my car hit 1,000 miles during my first session. LOL

[JS + BRZ]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but did you guys use 2nd gear at all during the lap? I did talk to another member about this but he seemed to be using 3rd and 4th only.

The only time I wanted to use 2nd gear is the two last turns before the front straight. But I just couldn't do it for some reason. Maybe because I don't know how to heel toe?

Was just curious. If this is not the thread to ask, please let me know. I'll just delete it.

Thank you!

By the way, my car is completely stock.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by JS + MS3

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but did you guys use 2nd gear at all during the lap? I did talk to another member about this but he seemed to be using 3rd and 4th only.

The only time I wanted to use 2nd gear is the two last turns before the front straight. But I just couldn't do it for some reason. Maybe because I don't know how to heel toe?

Was just curious. If this is not the thread to ask, please let me know. I'll just delete it.

Thank you!

By the way, my car is completely stock.

In CCW, I use 2nd at the last corner before the front straight. Sometimes 2nd at the end of the straight, but severely dependent if I put the car into the skidpad properly.

[mav1178]

^^ depends on how you drive, how you shift, etc.

On the front straight if I have a clean exit out the top, I can get into 5th for about 3-4 seconds. That would require a 5-4-3-2 downshift... or, I downshift 5-4-3 and run a slightly wider line to have a straighter line into the first couple of esses.

Ultimately it will depend on your experience and skill. The car without electronic nannies is easy to slide in 2nd... I lit up the tires even just getting out of the pit lane and sliding into the skid pad...

-alex

[JS + BRZ]

Makes a lot of sense. Thank you guys for the feedback.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by JS + MS3

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but did you guys use 2nd gear at all during the lap? I did talk to another member about this but he seemed to be using 3rd and 4th only.

The only time I wanted to use 2nd gear is the two last turns before the front straight. But I just couldn't do it for some reason. Maybe because I don't know how to heel toe?

Was just curious. If this is not the thread to ask, please let me know. I'll just delete it.

Thank you!

By the way, my car is completely stock.

Focus on driving, not shifting.

If I'm trying to do a REALLY hot lap, I'll use 2nd in 6 places, but normally, including yesterday, I'll just sit in 3rd, 4th, and 5th.



turns 14, 11, 8, 4, 3, 2.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by JS + MS3

Makes a lot of sense. Thank you guys for the feedback.

No problem!

Keep in mind that track days, while fun to talk trash about who is slowest, is about improving yourself as a driver.

Unless you're trying to become a professional driver, the best thing you can learn at the track is proper technique, driving line, and etiquette.

Take the skidpad question for example: 2nd gear entry is great, but what is the point if you have to brake-check yourself halfway into the corner because you went in too hot? I like to use 3rd gear there to start, then go up to 2nd if I wanted to push myself or put down a faster lap. I know of a few friends who worry all day about what gear to drive what corner, but they can't even heel/toe downshift properly...

And whatever you were running in the first session (super cold) would change as the day progressed... track temps were above 80 by our 3rd session, a huge change from the 30-something when we started.

The end goal is to be consistent and improve as your day progresses. And you'll know when you're consistent, because the laps start becoming "boring" and the "same old thing".

Not a bad problem to have

-alex

[schmearcampain]

Originally Posted by JS + MS3

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but did you guys use 2nd gear at all during the lap? I did talk to another member about this but he seemed to be using 3rd and 4th only.

The only time I wanted to use 2nd gear is the two last turns before the front straight. But I just couldn't do it for some reason. Maybe because I don't know how to heel toe?

For the second and third sessions I tried downshifting to 2nd on the second to last turn before the final straightaway. The problem I was having, even being able to heel toe, was that the lateral G's were making it hard for me to shift and maintain speed, so I found that I ended up slowing down too much just to compensate.

So for the 4th and final session I ran that day, I made an effort to hit that corner fast enough to keep it in 3rd @ around 4k rpm (above the dreaded torque dip). That helped me drop my best time to 1:39.612, 2 seconds better than my official 86cup time.

I think my favorite part of the track day was just learning how far I can push the car at each turn. Each session I'd push the envelope a bit further. I don't know if I would have improved my time with another session, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have hit 1:34 like the winner of the stock class did.

[JS + BRZ]

Jeff! What's up man!